Pathogenicity of Mycobacterium avium Complex Serovar 9 Isolated from Painted Quail (Excalfactoria chinensis)

Abstract

Avian tuberculosis accompanied with many tubercular lesions in the liver and spleen was found in a painted quail at a zoological garden in Japan. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) serovar 9 without insertion sequence of IS901 was isolated from the liver (1.3 × 10⁸ CFU/g), oviduct (9.4 × 10⁷ CFU/g), and intestine (1.5 × 10⁵ CFU/g). The isolates were inoculated intravenously to chickens. The inoculated chickens showed clinical symptoms of avian tuberculosis. Birds are susceptible to MAC serovar 9 without IS901.